Most people have viewed vehicles on the highways carrying loads of animals that are clearly on their way to the slaughterhouse. The trucks are clearly overcrowded with anything from pigs to cows, goats, and chickens. Thousands of these animals are transported to slaughter plants on a daily basis, rain, sleet or snow, and all in the name of profit.
Treatment of animals in slaughterhouse trucks
Animals that are raised for food consumption are stuffed in these Slaughterhouse trucks and transported in all types of weather conditions without being given any kind of protection from the elements, extreme heat or cold.
While traveling, the animals are deprived of any basic necessities of life for days until they reach the destination, such as food, water or any rest period. Some areas of the country are worse than others in the treatment of the animals. Regulations vary widely in all sectors that govern the transportation of livestock. Their journey can take them hundreds of miles in all types of weather. Some regulations state that cows can be transported for up to 52 hours without any necessities while 36 hours are allowed for pigs, horses, and chicken. There are no special stipulations for extreme hot or cold weather. Two to three million animals die annually in transport. That number does not include those severely injured.
Whether the animals are goats, hens, pigs or cows, these animals seem to know nothing but complete misery their entire lives until they are violently slaughtered. These poor creatures are treated as commodities and suffer in silence because their handlers view them on as dollar signs. Their short lives are filled with torment and Animal cruelty.
Many of the animals in those trucks are young, only months old and on their way to their death. Outrage would follow if companion animals are treated inhumanely, but for some reason, it seems to be acceptable for farm animals.
Handling of the animals on route by the truck drivers
Most slaughterhouse truckers transporting these animals are not educated on their care, and the use of electric prods are so often used to force the animals on and off their trucks.
Often, they are transporting animals that are pregnant, injured or sick in some way, which causes undue suffering on long trips. It is not uncommon for an animal to be down, laying on a feces and urine-covered floor with no ability to stand. When trucks get involved in accidents, many animals suffer from the injuries and often die without respect or dignity as they are discarded like trash. To most of these truck drivers, transporting the livestock is just a job without any regard to their humane care. Animal activists are working to stop the cruel treatment of these animals in the Farming Industry. It is time for everyone to take a stand and support your local farm sanctuaries nationwide so that we can all make a better place for these animals.
